The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-07-01

as usual its editor failed to see the hole,
and stepped into il with his usual YER
dancy, selecting the very worst piece of
literature on the whole subject, and Civ
ing it without a word of endorsement or
u line of criticism. There is not the
slightest doubt in the mind of every
soldier who knows him, but what Wise
is in hearty sympathy with the original
order issued from the White House, de-
creeing that the trophies won
by the loyal blood of brave, patriotic
men, should be returned to those who
fought for the "lost cause" but he may
be given credit for too much discretion,
coupled with inherent cowardice To eX-
press himself.
1t was left for Democratic President |
an overgrown ex-Sheritl-to insult the !
memory of our hundreds of thousands
of dead soldiers by such an order as was |
made for the return of the rebel battle |
flags, and to stir the blood of living pa
triots to almost a boiling point. 1t was
left for Democratic President to heap
contumely upon himself and belittle his
country in the eyes of foreign powers by
officially proclaiming that there is or ev-
er was such thing rs the Confederate
States" To say that there are "Confed-
crate States" is nothing less than an adj
mission that the war was war of con-
quest"-something that Lincoln would
never for moment admit, because he
justly held that the rebels had no right
to secede. But Cleveland's official use
of the term is u concession of n principle
upon which the rebels based their rights
to withdraw from the Union. This posi-
ton was left for Democratic President
to take.
Cleveland had no moral or legal right
to order these flags returned to the gov
errors of the different Southern States,
as he mighty soon found out after issuing
the mandate. They are the property of
the United States, and cannot be mo-
Tested in any way except bv act of Con-
gress. The Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States has repeatedly held this to be
true.
In United States VS.. Klein, Is Wallace,
page 1856, it says: property in the in
surrectionary States may be distributed
in four classes: First, that which belong
ed to the hostile organization or was en-
ployed in actual hostilities on land; sec
ond, that which at sea became lawful
subject of capture and prize; third, that
which became the subject of confisca-
ton; fourth, peculiar description,
known only in the recent war, called
captured and abandoned property. The
first of these descriptions of property,
like property of other kinds, in ordinary
international war, becomes, whenever
taken, ipse facto the property of the Uni
ted States"
In speaking on this question, Senator
Henderson, of Nebraska, SAYS: at will
hardly be claimed that the munitions of
war and treasures captured could be re-
turned at the pleasure of the Executive,
but to the men who rejoice in the vic
tory won and the Nation saved they are
valueless compared with these battle
flags, many of which are stained by the
precious blood of the captors. There
was no title of ownership under the
rules of war to much of the property
taken from individuals during the war.
1t was not war material owned by the
person or taken from him upon the field
of battle. Yet in every instance where
such property has fallen into the custody
of the Executive officers, it has seemed
to require an act of Congress to restore.
A notable instance is that of the jewels
and adornments of the person held for
so many years in the treasury vaults.
They belonged to the individuals claim
ing them, and not the Government. Yet
no Secretary of the Treasury presumed
their surrender until Congress at its last
session passed the act authorizing it to
be done. But even if there were legal
right to do this thing would still pro-
test against its doing. Those who fought
for this country have no feeling of bit
terness or ill-will toward those who
fought against it. They have proven it
in many ways. The animosities engen-
dered by the war have almost passed
away, and protest against action such
as this, the tendency of which is to re-
vive them. There has been no public
demand from States, associations or in
dividuals for the return of their captured
trophies. When it is made will come
the time for the consideration of the re-
quest. The extinction of all sectional
feeling is earnestly desired by the ex-
soldiers of the Union. Action such as
it be right to surrender these captured
colors, because they serve to recall the
war. then should all army organizations
be abandoned. The Grand Army of the
Republic, the Military Order of the 10y
al Legion, the Societies of the Armies OF
the Potomac and Tennessee and the
Cumberland should cease to exist. If il
be right to give these symbols of rebel
lion into the hands of those who once
carried them in hot hatred of the Union,
because they are unpleasant reminders
Of the past, then should the bronze stat
ues Of Thomas and Mcpherson, Farragut
and Dupont be melted, that they might
be cast in less heroic mold"
Such sentiments as those expressed by
Senator Henderson are entertained by
almost every living patriot in this broad
land of free and united America. They
are worthy him who gave them utter
ance, and cannot too often be repeated.
President Cleveland made the greatest
mistake of his life when he issued the
original order, and fastened 1t to his per-
son 80 closely that it can never be shaken
off when he couched his retraction in
such language as he did. From "Man
of Destiny" to "Child of Fortune"
Cleveland has dropped to a consummate
| "blunderer."
PRESS OPINIONS.